Reformation
by PettyMood
Summary: Sometimes, you just didn't grow up quite right. The causes of it may be different: mutations, looking softer than the rest, your color, life events, temptations, and such. That doesn't change one thing though. Who you are truly. While you may be someone you didn't mean to be, that doesn't mean you're not there at all. Is a humanized AU with a "What If" setting.
1. A Chance at Life

Sometimes, you just didn't grow up quite right. The causes of it may be different: mutations, looking softer than the rest, your color, life events, temptations, and such. That doesn't change one thing though. Who you are truly. While you may be someone you didn't mean to be, that doesn't mean you're not there at all. It might take just a little touch or words or many actions to unleash them from the cage that you bound them in. The question is, are you willing to change? Some may not be ready while others are hesitating, but today they shall start. The eight will find the key and unlock the soul within them, letting them free and out into the world.

It was a rumbling he could distinctly remember. There was definitely a shatter and then he felt pain. Afterwards, all that was left was the loss of feeling. It was strange, he could say. He felt.. gone. That was the word. Falling through a sky of limitless stars and then wasting away like pixie dust going in the wind. Then, something fell upon him in large amounts. While wisdom would be very helpful, it was more of something like the aforementioned pixie dust. It too disappeared similarly until it felt as if it was never there. An illusion maybe? No, illusions deal with the sight. All he saw was darkness surrounding him. It didn't come back again until what felt like a mere second but centuries as well afterwards. That's not entirely the truth though. This time he didn't exactly feel something. He heard something. It was faint and many of the words slipped by him but he knew that it was important somehow. Then something happened-

The world around him gained color.

Yes, he was so sure of it. It didn't all happen at once. First a star with a mustache appeared before him. The grey hair was the first thing that he could see besides black. Very slowly the yellow turned to fade throughout the entire star who seemed extremely distant in both voice and appearance. As if he wasn't truly there. He spoke of Shooting Star Summit and the princess before he was gone like all of the things before and the darkness embraced him once more. Then it happened again. He could see the neutral colors around him and one by one from warm to cool did the colors of the spectrum appear growing more lively and vibrant. It wasn't too soon until he could calmly say everything was back and he was breathing. He slowly sat up and realized that he had been lying on a bed. A clean and fresh bed besides the pieces of hair that fell off and a few dirt smudges from his shoes. It was comforting to know he was still alive somehow. It felt so supernatural though that it made him have some doubts about it. He turned to his shoulder and moved it about. Huh, it was as if nothing ever happened. He felt newer and more alive than he had before. Not a single scratch or ache. He hopped off the bed and sure enough- nothing. No pain whatsoever. It made him skeptical but that thought was not given too much time to be fleshed out before another voice rang out after the door opened.

"Oh...Mario! I'm so happy to see you awake! You haven't opened your eyes for days and days! Everyone's been worried sick!" they exclaimed. It was a toad much like the ones he had seen at the castle. It was a bit difficult to distinguish this one from some of the others, but knew not to bring it up. In time he'd learn each and every one. It'd do him good to be polite at least. He looked about confusedly and it seemed as if the other picked up on it. "This place? This is Goomba Village. It's a tiny Village that's just west of Toad Town. The only residents are me and a single family of Goombas," he explained before he put on a soft smile.

"The Goombas in the family are just the the nicest folks you'll ever meet. They're the ones who found you unconscious in the forest and carried you here to get better." So that cleared up a few things. There was a pause before the plumber felt as if he should say something himself. This was rewarded with a puzzled expression on the toad.

"Huh...? A Star with a mustache? You're saying a star told you to go to Shooting Star Summit? No, I saw nothing like that. And I sure didn't see anyone come in or out of this house. I wonder, Mario... Maybe you just had a dream?" The plumber cocked his head to the side. "Although maybe not... It could have been some sort of message from a Star Spirit. They live in Star Haven. Shooting Star Summit is the nearest place to Star Haven, so that would make sense... Who knows? In any case, I'm glad to see you've recovered. I know the Goombas would be happy if you paid them a visit," he concluded. Mario gave a deep sigh and nodded, grinning as a token of appreciation before he made his way out of the dimly lit home and into the village.

They weren't kidding when they said this place was a tiny village. It couldn't have been that much bigger than the property he owned himself. The weather was nice with a light and gentle breeze. It had become extremely cloudy over the last few days and there was a light rain covering the entire village in a cool and welcoming shade as if a gigantic umbrella had been placed over the entire earth but there were still holes and rips through it. Perhaps that similie wasn't that good in describing the situation. In any case, he noticed the house next door and saw a few people outside. He'd assume these were goombas based on the toad's description though he'd have to fight them to make sure. That he'd rather not do, especially if these were the nice people that helped him out. One middle-aged man was near a simplistic gate. He had darker skin than the rest and had a bushy black moustache. The plumber would assume he spent a lot of the time in the sun to get such a skin tone compared to his family. Walking towards the gate, he examined it and found it to look a little crooked. The middle-aged man's eyes lit up as he saw him approach and began to speak. "Howdy, Mario! Feeling better? Feel free to rest in our house." Mario shook his head with a grin and pointed towards the path that followed the gate.

"You what? You have to leave right now?" The red-clad hero quickly added in the location of his destination. "...Oh, Shooting Star Summit. Something important, no doubt. Well, I believe that the summit is near Toad Town." After this, the goomba sighed. "You'll have to wait a bit. I have to fix this gate before you can head out to the east. That earthquake the other day really did a job on it. Did you feel that quake? Shoot! I thought the sky was falling. Just relax and don't worry. I'll have this fixed in a jiffy," the man beamed and Mario nodded. Well, if he'd have to wait, he might as well greet the other folks around. Entering the home, he noticed the greenery with the vines hanging off this way and that way near the ceiling. Pots, vases, and jars were scattered around the entire building and each seemed to hold something different than the other. In front of the entrance was an elderly and wrinkly woman with fine grey hair and light freckles most notably on her round dark cheeks. There was a nicely polished table in the center and a large bench behind it. Blue mats had been taken out along with a big bluish-grey vase with peach flowers in the center. Near the somewhat rusted furnace off to the side was a chair similar to the bench. In the back were tidy cabinets no doubt holding the possessions of the family. Wooden boxes and vases and parts of what seemed to be a fence lined the top along with the vines. The entire house held a very warm and homely feel overall as if you'd come back to your loved ones after a long rainy day and a steamy bowl of soup was waiting for with the smiles of your comrades. The entire house was wooden and there was yet another door near the furnace. The plumber grinned and tipped his hat to the old woman before continuing out the door, his curiosity sparking inside of him. It led him to a veranda outside. It was simple enough with pieces of cloth hanging in the breeze despite the rain. A man had his back towards him and was crouching on a stone stand. Approaching the man, the other jumped and whipped around.

"Ooh, you startled me! Hm, yes, Mario, isn't it? So you've awakened at last! Good! I knew you'd pull through! Call me Goompa. I'm the Goomba grandfather, so...I'm Goompa. I'm sorry, but would you mind giving me the details later? I'm pretty busy fixing the veranda," Goompa sheepishly stated as he weakly shook Mario's gloved hand before returning to his own work. Mario nodded and left the home before he stopped by a little girl with a bright yellow bow on her head. She wore a pretty dress and has big, bright eyes with a head of tangled brown hair. "Oh! Mariooo! My dad was looking for you! He said to tell you that he finished fixing the gate." She stood up straight and tall with a grin, her fists on her hips as she stared up boldly. She then eased her muscles, letting her arms droop down with a softer tone in her voice. "So I guess now you can travel east to Toad Town and Shooting Star Summit, huh?" He stared down for a few moments before he knelt down, chuckling to himself and ruffled her hair, nodding. "Hey hey! Quit that!" she pouted. "Anyway, don't you have a place to get going to? My big brother said your adventures were ones nobody could wait for! Including him and you!"

Huh, the little girl had an older brother? He wouldn't have been able to guess. He looked around for any sign to prove the other's statement correct but not a single thing could do so. He must have been looking around for quite some time because Goombaria had flicked him in the forehead to snap him out of it. "Gee, mister, you don't really seem so serious about everything like he made you out to be. He wasn't lying, now was he? If he was, I'm gonna..!" He stared at her before letting out a hearty laugh and shook his head. It seemed like this kid she was talking about was okay. Though his lack of appearance here was quite puzzling. He didn't have the heart to ask himself before he ended up standing up and strided over to Goompapa while the child followed behind him.

No, it didn't seem bad at all. Life seemed to be sipping a cup of tea the way things were going.


	2. The Voice

"Hoo! What a job! Sorry to have kept you waiting. The gate is finally fixed. If you take this road straight ahead, you'll eventually reach Toad Town, the home of Princess Peach's Castle. I believe that Shooting Star Summit is just beyond there. It's too bad you can't stay... I feel like I just met you! But duty calls, I know. Come back and visit if you can."

"Best of luck, Mario," Goombaria wished after her father finished his piece. The gate was indeed fixed and looked only a few weeks old compared to the months or even years of age from what he had seen.

Mario nodded at these words and put a gloved hand on the gate pushing it slightly, but something made him retract his hand. It was a certain somebody whose voice sounded like a thousand violins.

"Heee! Yee hee heee!"

If they were played by a monkey.

A familiar hag swept in on her broom with a confident and booming voice, a rippling noise being made behind her as she flew. With her purple robes and crinkly skin texture, it wasn't difficult to match her up with the loyal worker- Kammy Koopa. Mario whipped his head up and his smile faded to a frown as he furrowed his eyebrows. Of course when things were looking up, things decided to get complicated. He honestly should've expected this by now after his long days of experience with Bowser.

"Bleah heh heh heh... Ah, my instincts were right... Mario... I can't believe you're on your feet after taking such a beating from King Bowser. You're a hardy one, all right. I was smart to come here to check on you," she spoke with great power and in an egotistical manner. A smug smirk made its way onto her lips as she stared down. This was all broken with the cry of a yellow-ribbon wearing child. "Whuh...what? What's that, Daddy!? What's that weird flying thing?" the girl spoke with a sense of bewilderment and quickness to her voice. The sorceress lurched backward before she moved in closer, pointing the end of her broom downward. Her face scrunched up with disgust and irritation, her eyebrows furrowing downward.

"Weird? You rude little... I am a beautiful Koopa with a beautiful name: Kammy Koopa! Hmmmph! I wish I had time to teach you a lesson, brat! But no." She stopped there and shifted to face the plumber, calming her nerves and temper bit by bit at this point. With a hand, she waved it upward and pointed it in an accusing manner at him. "Mario! Hear this! It is useless for you to try to save Princess Peach. Ridiculous! Laughable! As you have seen, King Bowser is more powerful than even you can deal with this time." Taking out her scepter, she waved it and held it skyward. It wasn't long until in a spark of pink light that a gigantic yellow block materialized, floating in the air. "Here's a gift from him!" With that, the block tumbled down and onto the gate with a big "thwomp!" to celebrate its arrival while the hero stumbled back and landed on his bottom onto the dewy grass. That was going to be the end of it until he was reminded that their other guest was still present up in the sky.

"Nyeah heh heh heh! Mario! You will kneel and weep when you see the wonderful changes King Bowser's made! Your world is ours now! Bleah heh ho hyuck heh heh HA!" She was gone as soon as she left leaving Mario to scratch his head and get on his knees. Once up, he walked over to the gate to see what shape it was in. The wooden white boards were now stained with both the rain and the dirt of the ground with cracks all around. The blockade had bent it badly out of shape and now it was squished between that and the dirt path like a piece of ham in a sandwich. It looked almost completely unrepairable. Goombaria had followed quickly behind and tugged at the plumber's bright red sleeve taking in the sight in front of her. She took her attention elsewhere and noticed her father trembling.

"Da..."

"Ummmmmm..," Goompapa managed to let out, interrupting his daughter. "I just fixed that gate..." There was an obvious tone of irritation to his voice at this point. He then grumbled, "Nobody say "gate" to me... Kammy Koopa, that fiend! Did you hear what she said about the princess? It didn't sound good," he bursted out shouting, refusing to turn around as he examined the damage. It was a while before he spoke as the two others stood in anticipation. "I hope nothing's happened to her..," he mumbled. Mario looked to the side uncomfortably with a sheepish chuckle and started to explain the situation. Not three words after his second sentence was finished was there an interruption. "Wha... Wha... What!?" Goompapa turned his head around quickly at last, his eyes widened and his mouth open wide. "Bowser went and kidnapped Princess Peach?! Again?! Oh, unbelieveable! And now you have to go to Shooting Star Summit and help save her, right?" he turned back and paced around in a small circle near the new obstacle. He firmly placed a hand on it, his free hand rubbing his temples. His voice let out in a considerably weaker and softer, almost defeated voice, "Ummmm... This could be a problem."

"Dad, we've just gotta do something, right? Mario's gotta save the princess! Nobody else can do it!" Goombaria yelled out, her cheeks puffy and her eyes sharp along with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The man let out a long and deep sigh before he faced the two once more. "Ummmmmmm..," he began to think before he raised his head suddenly. "Oh, here's an idea! Maybe we can break this block with Goompa's big Hammer! I think he's using it now to fix the veranda. Go ask him for it, will you?" A big grin appeared back on his face as he pointed the way. The young girl shook her head furiously up and down as if to agree on the idea whole-heartedly. Mario tilted his cap upward and gave a thumbs up before he jogged into the home with a new-found purpose. He'd have to get that hammer if it was the last thing he did. He'd need it in order to continue and that's exactly what he needed to do. He entered the house less leisurely and dashed for the veranda, opening the door excitedly and rushed out onto it.

That was, he rushed out onto thin air as the door shut behind him and he found himself where there no longer was wood. Frantically waving his arms, he fell down once more into the trees. When he landed on the ground, he waited a few moments before hopping back up. Well, his body ached now. This wouldn't be too much compared to all the other injuries he'd had hopefully. He hoped he wouldn't make a habit out of falling. It didn't seem like it'd be healthy no matter what way he'd ever look at it. He searched the area and found parts of the veranda around. No hammer though. He'd have to go searching more in depth. Walking around, he eventually found someone else.

"Oh, my back... Hm? Who's that? That you, Mario? I remember a great crashing noise and then the veranda collapsed and I fell. Did you fall, too? Just stepped out the door into thin air, did you? Well, we're both OK. Problem is, we can't get home because that block is in the way. This block... This block shouldn't be here. Well, this is a problem for us. ...Huh? A Hammer? Oh, of course! Um... Where did it go? I was using it to fix the veranda, so it's likely to be around here somewhere... Hm! Nowhere to be seen. I guess it must have fallen somewhere over there. Mario, we'd better look for it," the old man rambled. They traveled over to another area in the opposite direction. Upon arriving in a section with plenty of trees but still a good amount of space to walk around and blocks scattered about, they were halted. "The Hammer has got to be somewhere close by. It looks like this," Goompa said, pulling out a blueprint from his pocket and then folding it back to return it to its origin. "Look for bushes that might cover it up. You can probably search the best if you get near the center of the bush. You got that?" Mario nodded and did as he instructed.

After a while, the male found the hammer with ease, holding it up in the air triumphantly. "You found the Hammer! Mario can do the Hammer attack now!" a cheerful voice echoed out. Mario lowered it slightly and looked around trying to find the source. Alas, there was not a single other soul around besides the grandfather. Their voices didn't match either. Raising an eyebrow at this, the voice returned to his mind. "You can smash a yellow block with this Hammer." This time, he could make out more about the voice. It was definitely a male's. A child's most likely- though the voice sounded a bit mature than a simple kid. It had enthusiasm and a pinch of rowdiness to it. He waited a bit more, but the voice did not continue any further, leaving him with that simple message. Looking down in his hands he saw that the hammer was worn and made of cheaper wood. It was sturdy though. It probably could pack a punch with the correct amount of force. Bouncing it up and down in his hands, Goompa ran up to him.

"Oh! There we go! That's it! That's the Hammer!" he took a break, attempting to catch his breath after he stopped. When he was ready, his voice lost some of the energy it had when he was running. "I'll wager that if you use that Hammer, you can break the block that's in our way. You can also use that Hammer to hit trees and make them sway. Sometimes stuff will fall out! You can use it by holding it tight and swinging it!" Mario nodded and swung it to test it. For this, he was rewarded with a proud grin. "Good, good! Just like that, Mario! You're quite the quick learner! Glad to know that we still have that old tool. It might not be in the best condition or be anything too fancy, but it does what it needs to. Now, shall we get going? Don't worry about me, I'll follow after you. You remember the way back, right?" The plumber proceeded to walk onwards, whacking at a few blocks and trees on the way back. One certain tree dropped something though. Kneeling down, he picked it up. It was a soft doll with a poofy pink dress with a crown, blondish hair, and some jewelry. "Oh! Well now! I believe that's the dolly Goombaria said she lost! She'll no doubt be overjoyed if you give it back to her. So many people lose things all over the place, you know. It almost makes one feel like looking around everywhere..," the man gave in his two cents. Mario looked back and put the dolly in his pocket. It'd be safer there than in his hands what with the hammer. Hopefully it wouldn't get damaged along the way. It'd be a shame if he couldn't deliver it to the young girl. Standing up, the two walked over to the exit of the forest. "Hmmm... Well! We found the Hammer, so I guess we should head for home."

"Youch!" the man yelled as he was pushed back after attempting to leave. "Who are you guys!? This is my playground, idiots! Nobody sets foot in here without my permission! Nobody! Prepare to start crying at the feet of Master Jr. Troopa!" The voice came from a tiny bruiser with eyes that spoke out his firey spirit clearly. He didn't look particularly threatening now. Perhaps he was just one of those "small name, big ego" types? Charging at the two, the plumber knew clearly what was about to happen. A battle was inevitable at this point. Behind him, he heard Goompa clear his throat. "Mario, this is Jr. Troopa. He's the boss of a neighborhood gang. A bit of a bully, obviously. He's more bark than bite. You can beat him easily. Just boost yourself up and don't take any lip! I'll stay right here behind you and watch your progress." With a nod, he faced his opponent. It'd probably be better to just jump on the guy rather than use the hammer. It'd be best to avoid giving someone brain damage on accident because he didn't know if they could take it or not. He was hoping he could get this done quickly. Taking a few paces back, the plumber started dashing and then leaped upward, descending down onto the child. Retreating back, he noticed he did a bit of damage. Seemed like this guy was at least a little more persistant than a regular goomba. "Oh, excellent! Good move! Go on!" the elderly man cheered on from behind. The battle went slowly as each took and gave damage. It wasn't too long before the other spoke. "Grrrr! I'm just getting warmed up!" It was clear at this point the other was starting to lose his temper and his will power. Though this also meant he was going to get more forceful if his experience told him correctly. Hesitating, Mario walked up and put a hand out to his hammer, gripping it tightly. Seeing this change in the sequence, the young boy cocked his head and opened his mouth slightly, furrowing one eyebrow in confusion. Raising the weapon, Mario shut his eyes and swung it down causing the boy to not only get hurt but jump back in surprise. "Mario, you've almost got him! Keep it up! Go on!" Goompa praised with a big excited grin plastered onto his face, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

"All right, you asked for it! Say hello to Jr. Troopa's special attack! Full power!" the boy exclaimed at the top of his lungs before charging at Mario. In response, the male finished him off with another classic jump. The child teetered back and forth before falling onto his chest, a bit dizzy and defeated. Moving a bit closer, Goompa held out a hand for the other to shake in congratulations. "Mario, that was wonderful fighting! You got Star Points! You get Star Points every time you beat an enemy. Every time you save up 100 Star Points, you'll go up a level. Always try hard to get points! You may not be able to see them all the time, but they are quite real! They can get you nifty things like help your health and such!"

Jr. Troopa then got up on hit feet and grumbled. "Shoooooot! I was winning, too! I'll be back, Mario! I mean it, I'll be back!" With that, he fled from the scene, scurrying away at a remarkable speed. They continued onward until Goompa tugged on Mario's sleeve, halting him. "Heads up, Mario! I see bad Goombas ahead. They're loyal to Bowser. If they see you, they'll attack you without hesitation. If you successfully attack an enemy in the field with a Jump or Hammer, you'll get the First Strike when you enter the battle. Striking first really helps when it comes to battling," he advised. He held a tight grip on the red sleeve for a long silence before he let go. It seemed as if he was looking for something in the area and gave up by the way he acted. Or maybe he was starting to jump to conclusions. Neither seemed like a good option to accept at this point. Gulping, he continued and after a few fights made his way back to the yellow block blocking the way. There was nothing special about the way back except one thing- the voice returned one more time. ""It's a glowing Star Piece! Wait and see what this is for," the voice had said that time. It seemed like this voice was more of something to help him whenever Goompa decided to stay quiet. With ease, the male took down the block and saw the familiar Goomba village.


	3. Promise

Once they had made it to the village, Goombaria ran on up to greet them at the gate. "Never worry, Goombaria, here I am. Thanks to young Mario here, I made it back all right." Mario gave a light push to the gate, but upon seeing that it didn't open, he started pushing it a bit more forcefully with each attempt. Goompa soon noticed this, "Oh, is that thing locked? Let me open it up for you." An old, rusted key was pulled out and viola! The gate was open and the two made it to the closed off area. Once Goompa was inside, he was greeted with a tight hug from the little girl while Mario closed the gate behind them. "Goompa! Where've you been? I looked outside and...wow! Both you and the veranda were just plain gone! I was very, very worried about you! Really worried!" The way she had said 'really' made it sound as if it had a million letters in it. There was a weak, sheepish chuckle in reponse as he gave a gentle hug back, "Sorry, I apologize. I didn't mean to make you fret. You just take it easy now. I'm back safe and sound. Now! Before I forget, I've decided to give you something, Mario. Wait here a minute." Letting go, he jogged into the house, disappearing once the door shut with a loud slam behind him. A few moments passed as the two waited. "Hey hey! Mario, what'cha got there in your pocket?" she leaned over to get a better look. Making her job easier, the male took out the doll and held it out to her. Her eyes widened at this, "It's my dolly! Dolly, dolly! You're back! Thank you so much! I'm so happy..." She snatched away the doll, then hugging and cradling it. "My sweet dolly! Don't you ever get lost again!" She mimicked a scolding, nagging finger and all. Once she was finished, she walked over the Mario. He kneeled down while she rummaged around in the pocket of her apron. "Here's a present from me! Look at the pretty glitter!" A star piece plopped onto his hands. Staring at it, he then put it away. "And take this, too!" Mario raised an eyebrow at this, not sure what else to expect before he felt a small and rather quick peck on his cheek. Backing away, she paced in a small circle reminiscent of the same action her father did not too long ago. She then stopped dead in her tracks and ran up to the other. "Hey, Mario! I just got an idea! You're going to Shooting Star Summit, right? How about you keep something to remember me along the way? Y' know, other than a sparkly gem! Just wait here, okay? If Goompa or Goompapa try to shoo you away early, don't listen to them!" He nodded to reassure her before she ran into the house shouting "Gooma! Gooma! GoooooMA!" With her leave, Mario sat down on the grass, looking up into the sky. His peace was broken when both Goompa and Goombaria came out together and walked up to him.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Mario. Anyway, I wanted to give you something." Holding out a badge, Mario examined it before taking it himself and looking at it closer. "This is called a Badge. If you wear this, you'll be able to do a Power Jump, which means you'll be able to do a lot more damage with your Jump attack. But listen here, and listen well. You'll only be able to do it if you're wearing the Badge. You'd better try it first. Putting Badges on and taking them off is a vital skill. Would you like a quick lesson in how to use the Badges you collect during your travels?" Mario nodded. Goompa then went on with his explanation. It was almost as if he had remembered this speech by heart, waiting to say it to someone with how perfectly it was spoken. "Now remember, you need FP to use this Power Jump technique. Your flower points are basically how you're able to do any special techniques, so use them wisely!" Mario stared at the meter in his pocket, seeing the spoken FP along with the star points and some other things. "Do you remember that we saw a block like this on the way back to the village?" the old man continued, taking a very brief pause. "Well, these blocks will restore not only HP but also FP. They're lifesavers, Mario! Use them whenever your HP and FP reserves are getting low. By the by, Mario, I heard from Gooma... You're taking it upon yourself to try to rescue the princess from Bowser's clutches. Mario, please take this Hammer. It should serve you well. If I were just a bit younger, I'd accompany you on your trip. I'd have done some damage! The years have started to weigh on me, though. I tell you, this lower back pain..."

Mario put on the badge while Goombaria walked up clutching a blue cap in her hands. It was mostly clean, but it did show signs that indicated it had been worn. "If you see my big brother along the way, I want you to give him this! You should be able to find out who he is easily! You know how most goombas have two fangs, right? Well, he has two round teeth sticking out instead and his cheeks are reeeaal rosy like Santa Claus! He's also extremely smart! Like, he'll tell something about anything he sees if you let him! Do you promise you'll give it to him? Like, reeeaally promise that you'll cross your heart? Or even pinky promise?" The plumber nodded, taking the hat in one hand and holding out a pinky in the other. Locking it with her own, the two shook it a bit before they let go. "Alright then! Be safe, got it? The princess sure must be counting on you!"

"...Well, I think it's about time for my nap. I'll be in the house. Good-byes have a way of making this old Goomba get weepy." Goompa said, shaking Mario's hand one last time before entering the house. Mario walked over to the broken gate with the block over it and swung his hammer at it, smashing it into significantly smaller pieces.

"There we go! Problem solved. I have a feeling your road will be lined with difficulties, so try not to overdo it. Be watchful, yet stay cool. A calm mind is the wisest," Goompa advised and then Mario was on his way, gripping the blue cap tightly.

A/N: I know this is an extremely short chapter, but I think it serves its purpose here. If things goes my way, the next chapter should be longer. I apologize if you believe my portrayals are a bit out of character, but I'm going to try my absolute best here! Yes, so far it's just a retelling of the game but soon it'll be different hopefully. I don't think I'd be able to do just a pure retelling of the game as much as I like it. Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying this fanfic! I'll be giving you guys where to find what each partner looks like when each one is introduced.


	4. Fulfill

After having exitted Goomba Village he had been walking with a purpose towards his destination. If he remembered correctly, he'd just have to go back to Toad Town and then go past the princess's castle to make it to Shooting Star Summit. He had to wonder though what exactly the spirit exactly wanted to tell him. How peculiar, but he had to go there as they kept answers that could potentially help guide him. A clue of where to go is always necessary in a quest, and this isn't any different. His mind stayed focused on that as he traveled, battling here and there with each random encounter.

"Hey hey! Hold it right there! You! Yeah you, suspicious guy! Don't move!" he heard a rowdy and somewhat scratchy voice call out, disrupting his train of thought. Mario eyes widened and he indeed halted as two figures approached. One red, and the other blue. The red one spoke up once more with a proud smirk on his face, "Aha, you're Mario! I knew it. You can't go past here, Mr. Big Shot. It's a direct order from the Goomba King. That's right! I'm sorry, but the only way by is through the Goomba Bros. That's me, Red Goomba, and my brother, Blue Goomba. Let's get him, Blue Goomba!" The blue one nodded, sharing a similar expression though his voice greatly differed, his being extremely raspy and softer, "Oh yeah! Let's do it, my red brother!"

They went to engage in battle and the plumber braced for what was about to come. They were goombas, so it shouldn't be _too _difficult but the different coloring was something to be worried about. Most goombas were plain and were mostly brown and muddy but these two shown off vibrant colors. Perhaps this meant they were stronger or higher up in rank than the usual minions? They should still have the same moveset though. Dash and hit with the head- _hard_. The plumber prepared his hammer and sprinted over, giving a big old whack to the blue one first. He seemed a bit weaker and easier to take out. In response, the blue one shrieked, "Mario! How'd you like some of this?" He picked up a foot off the ground with a scowl on his face. Mario shut his eyes, waiting for the attack.

Except it never happened. Sure, he heard battle cries- but he didn't feel a thing. Slowly, he opened an eye to see someone new. Their back was turned, but from what he could tell they had a messy mop of brown hair and wore mostly black. A spy, perhaps? Opening both of his eyes, he saw the two brothers retreat with incredible speed. This he was certainly not expecting today. A rather odd change to the system, but he was grateful nevertheless. He directed his attention back to the mystery person in front of him. He still had yet to see the other move. It was as if he was a colored statue. It was rather unnerving. After a while, the plumber grew nervous with the silence and cautiously walked up to the other, poking them on the shoulder. They spun around abruptly, forcing Mario to stumble backwards. Looking at him, he was able to notice more about him. He was relatively tan with dirt smudges and some odd dark red stain on his face in various places. His eyes were an ice cold blue, his eyebrows furrowed. His hair was still the messy brown mop it was, but the bangs seemed to be a bit more tidy than the back. He was rather short and wore a black hoodie with some white lettering on it. It was impossible to read though as most of the letters had fallen off but he could take a pretty good guess at what it was supposed to say. Most likely either his name or who he worked for- and with the few pieces of it left it didn't take that much to figure out. Bowser. It seemed like it was just a switcheroo for who he had to fight now. Wonderful. Two guards turned to one. He was going to roll his eyes until he noticed one thing-

His teeth. They were sticking out like all the others but there was something different. He didn't have fangs. No, they were rounded bumps that made him look a whole lot less threatening and a whole lot more dorky. There couldn't have been many like him out there. No, there couldn't. It had to be this guy. "Hey! You're that Mario guy, ain't ya'?" he suddenly stated. It wasn't a question- he could tell. "Alright, don't sweat it! I'm just here to carry out something that those two couldn't. Don't worry, it'll be quick, trust me on it!" he grinned as he spoke. Mario raised an eyebrow. This didn't sound like it was going to be good. "I see you got a hammer there! A reeeaal helpful one, if you ask me. You're pretty lucky, you know," the goomba said as if he was trying to delay something. Though this time, there was something about his voice. Yes, it had a ring of irritation when he said 'hammer.' Though he could've sworn there was something different. "A little old though. It seems more suited to fixing a gate or something, you know? Maybe a veranda?" He put a finger on his chin and looked as if he had to think that one out, as he paced around in a circle around the hero. "Nevertheless, where are you headed? I assume you're going to Shooting Star Summit as there's not really much to see in Toad Town."

Huh, this guy seemed to be creating small talk. This was an odd encounter to say the least. Then something hit him. This guys voice- he had heard it before! He know he did. It was the same as that voice inside his head! It was one and the same. Though along with this conclusion also came a hit to the head. Backing up, Mario rubbed his head and saw the other land on their feet. It seemed as if he had initiated a fight at last. This didn't look like it was going to be pretty. Mario took his hammer and dashed over, swinging it upward to hit the other in the chin- to which he was successful. It didn't seem like the other experienced pain for too long though as they had already started to attack, landing on the man's head once more then bouncing off and onto the ground. Turning around, he noticed the other was rubbing his chin. To this, he smiled knowing he actually did some damage at least equal to the goomba's headbonks. Perhaps it'd do some good to do something similar now? He ended up running once more but jumped up high into the sky, his feet stomping on his opponent's head before he flipped off and landed onto the ground. The other was starting to grow annoyed. He then started reciting something. "It's Mario! He's here to save Princess Peach, who was kidnapped by Bowser. He has a max of 10 HP right now and 5 FP. He's got an attack power of 1 and a defense of 0. Despite this, he's pretty well known for being able to beat all sorts of people, so I'd stay on guard!" he concluded. It was almost as if he scanned him. It was odd, how he just seemed to be able to recite this stuff. Then his eyes widened. He definitely knew who this was at this point. He had to get this over with for sure now. He doubted that the other would listen to him just in the middle of a battle. With a new goal in mind, Mario rolled up his sleeves and rushed over hopping up a bit to which the goomba sidestepped. Right before he landed with a miss, the plumber took out the hammer and swung it to the side, hitting the boy. He didn't like to use such a tactic so often, but the quicker this could get done, the better. It seemed like his enemy was improving and learning how to dodge anyway. The minion got up on his feet with a heavy grunt after being knocked away and grinded his teeth before he went back to headbonk him with success. He wasn't going to be through just yet. Mario frowned and ran over towards the other once more, jumping into the sky once more. The goomba moved forward to avoid this which caused a grin to appear on the plumber's lips. He landed on the grassy ground and turned around, launching a hand out towards the boy and with a swift movement grabbing the hood and pulling it over his eyes. "Agh hey! Let go!" the boy squirmed in his grab and Mario obeyed the command, letting go of the hood, letting the goomba have vision once more. Not before Mario took his hammer and swinging forward and slightly upward at the boy's back, sending him off a good distance.

The boy laid there for a good while groaning as the red-clad hero walked up to him and crouched down, offering out a hand. The goomba scoffed at this, rolling his eyes and slowly got up himself, rubbing his back. Then he saw something shoved into his face. It was blue. He lowered it and looked at Mario as if asking about it. Mario once more shoved it towards him with a gentle smile on his face. He hesitated and stared at it before he accepted the item. He looked at it to see that it was a blue cap. He raised an eyebrow at this. Why was he being given a blue cap? Why was _Mario _giving it to him? The guy he just challenged. He analyzed it closer and then he realized- he knew this cap. His eyes widened and felt something caught at his throat, whipping his head back up to face Mario. The mustached man simply nodded at him before giving a thumbs up and a wink, showing off a bit of teeth.

Mustering up some courage, he asked, "Wh.. How did you get this?" He felt as if he was going to cry just looking at the hat in his hands. It was a regular old hat but merely seeing it reminded him of many things. His family, the life he left behind, and most importantly his decision. He was given a shake of the head as a response which just made him even more curious. "Di..Did you see Goombaria? Is she okay? Why'd she give you this? Co.. Come on, please. Please talk to me, Mario! _Please_! I beg of you!" he shouted out, his mind getting flooded with so many conflicting thoughts. To his disappointment, the man nodded his head, giving a sort of sympathetic smile. He rubbed his eyes and bit his lip, looking away for a bit as he clenched the hat tightly. He turned around, showing only his back to the plumber. He started walking away, but then stopped. "...Th.. Thanks. I owe you one, Mario. I owe you one!" There was something in the back of his mind wanting to tell the hero to wait, but he held back. Instead, he said, "..Good luck. You've got a princess to save." With that, he ran off. Mario stood there, blinking for a few moments before he continued onward with a smile on his face.

He hoped that kid did well in life.


	5. Tower

Coming to a stopping point, the plumber looked up to the building towering over him. It was made of stone and looked sturdy and well-built. Walking a bit to the side, he peered over to see a piece of land all the way at the other side of a gap. There was no hope in attempting to jump as he'd just descend down to his doom most likely. It seemed pretty dark as he cautiously stared down. Down and down it went to a point where he couldn't see anything anymore. Was there a ground to that one could wonder. Falling down there would just lead you to the point of no return. Perhaps you wouldn't even survive to see the end. He cringed at the thought of it. One death-like plummet was enough for him. He had to wonder if he truly even survived that. It all felt just so supernatural. Noticing he had been diving his head down perhaps a bit too low, he quickly raised his head back up and then felt around the top of his head, smiling when he felt that his hat was still there.

Returning to the front of the building he stood there puzzled. There was a door, so it didn't do too much harm to open him, right? Following this path of logic, he approached it and gave it a slight push. It didn't budge at all. Perhaps it was one of those pull doors. He tried the opposite but let go seeing it no use. He rammed into it to force it but it was as if it was super glued to the building, refusing to even let go a little bit. All the while it did indeed make noise- a low rattling sound. His efforts held no success whatsoever and he walked back a bit, sighing. He continued staring up, waiting for something to happen. It wasn't reliable to do so though. He needed to find a way over- somehow, someway. If only he had wings. A winged companion might be indeed helpful but he had to wonder if it would be the same. Perhaps they wouldn't even be able to carry him that far? Perhaps he'd need the aid of yet another person just like the adventure before. This time though was certainly different. There'd be no Princess with her frying pan and no Bowser out to have his back in his situation of need. No, the tables had turned back to their default position unfortunately and this was not lucky for him. Maybe he'd meet completely new people once more but would it still be just as comforting?

Perhaps it would be better to think on the positive side. Any company would be better than no company. While yes, he had been known to face through long, perilous quests alone it didn't hurt to have an assisting hand who could help raise his morale. While he may not speak too many words, he'd still be the best pal he could be in return. Maybe he had it all wrong though all along. That was one thing he feared. He'd be alone in the darkness. In all honesty though, that could all be fair. He did seem to cheat death after all if that was how he'd interpret those series of events before. How long had he been out? Attempting to remember the Toad's words, he was unsuccessful and it all remained cloudy. To think he had just been told this information earlier today. No matter, hopefully his mind would drift off or get occupied soon. Thinking deeply wasn't his strong suit and it just brought everything around to reflecting. These moments weren't always the happiest ones, no. The merry ones were more often than not the ones where he didn't have the need to think too much. Just to merely live out his life with a bright smile next to a trusted comrade. Ah, it was swell, those frames of time. The homely and warm feeling they gave off and he remembered. Those were the memories that were pleasant to think back on. It'd be a pity if those were to ever go off, but like all other things they need to leave to make room for others. That was the cycle of life and it would not be wise to break it. The balance was carefully sewn together and hopefully it would stay that way.

That brought his mind to yet another topic. Bowser, the turtle tyrant had reappeared as another thought. He had that star rod now. If the bed time tale was true, it was the rod that granted the wishes of those pure and kind-hearted down below. The rescue answer to those in their darkest hours. This dark hour would not be answered. The pleads will be heard, but the beam of hope would never arrive in return. It was upsetting, really. To think that one little object held so much importance to throw off all the balance of hope and doom and dreams. If it could make one greedy, selfish man powerful, could it make him live longer? No.. that was a dangerous idea to think. He had to do something else. The idea itself was preposterous and only brought corrupted and tormented consequences and replies. Though it was possible, the plumber dismissed it and went back to reality.

Suddenly it seemed as if someone had heard his prayer as there was a distinct rumbling. Up in the sky was a humongous man who had ascended and then landed onto the fortress with a loud boom announcing his entrance along with the two goombas from before. They were indeed weakened and it seemed as if the blue brother had a runny nose and was rather sick. The red one looked irritated but not in a strong state to do too much with the rage that would consume him. The man in the center was admittedly goofy looking what with his eyes constantly moving like a clock if it swung up and down rather than side to side. If he didn't know any better, he'd ask if the other was cross-eyed. His pants were ostentatious and screamed out as the red and white vertical stripes clashed with the neutral colors of the sky and the fortress. He had a white, ungroomed mustache and a massive crown to match his head. If he remembered correctly, this should be the Goomba King that had commanded the two before they had been swapped out for Goombario. The Goomba King began to speak in a booming voice,

"So, Mario, it's true! You've made it this far. I respect you for that. Unfortunately, this is as far as you'll ever get. Because I, the great and powerful King Goomba, will see to it that you advance no farther!" The red brother's mouth grew to a smirk as he stood up straight and tall as if to show phony strength and authority. His rough voice created all sorts of doubt to pop up as he followed his leader's statement with, "You hear that, Mario! No farther! Not one step! Are you scared, little man?" His finger pointing triumphantly towards him with regained confidence. The nasally voice of the blue brother pitched in, "Bah ha ha! Yeah, you're scared, all right. You wanna say you're sorry?" He sneered at the red-clad hero.

"Ready to meet my wrath, Mario? You'd better be!" King Goomba finished it off before hopping down along with his followers to the ground. Their arrival swept some dust to the side. Mario was prepared this time once more and he stepped back a bit as the dust cleared.

"Beat him up, King Goomba!" Red cheered on his side while his brother followed it with, "We've got your back!" The two's enthusiasm brought a grin to the King in the centre. "Leave him to me!"

It'd be better to jump, he knew. Mario gave himself an incredible jumping start and lifted off from the ground, stomping on the larger one's head. It'd be good to get rid of the King soon. Hopefully he wasn't that much stronger than the other two. While size may take into account, personal strength was a completely different topic all together. He took the hits of all three and depleted a good amount of his health. Hopefully he'd have enough mushrooms in case he'd have to regenerate health. It'd be a terrible fate to have this be the end of his game after all the faith and trust that star spirit had put in him. Preparing to make another running start, he started up once more but stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted something.

There was a blue blur before him and it seemed to puzzle his opponents as well as they stood there in awe and confusion, waiting to see what it was exactly. The blue blur did not go straight for either side though nor the fortress. The strange thing is that it aimed for the tree! It had hit the tree whether or not it was intentional and down a large goomnut fell. One hop! Two bounces! Three hits on the heads! Mario looked over to see who or what it was that caused this as it had finally stopped, walking a bit closer and standing on his toes attempting to get a good luck at the top. The other raised from it's crouching position and then it all hit him. The person standing in front of him was the blue-eyed, tan, and brunette boy before. He seemed to have freshened up though, a good amount of his dirt cleaned off the plumber assumed. He seemed to glow now and he showed off a gleaming smile with two round teeth at the sides. His outfit had been swapped out as well, the black switched out for a vibrant blue, short-sleeved, and baggy hoodie with regular beige knee-length pants. Most of all though was the blue, worn cap at the top of his head. "Glad to know you didn't travel that far ahead, Mario! Consider me an ally of yours from this day forward! I'm ready to help and engage!" he exclaimed. Mario chuckled and nodded, motioning the boy to stand next to him as the Goombas got out of their daze. This made the boy's grin fade away momentarily out of shock before it returned in a bigger form. It was almost as if that introduction was rehearsed in the little time he had.

The red brother seemed to catch on and pointed out the boy almost immediately with wide eyes. Pestering his superior, he shouted, "Oi! That's the guy who roughed us up!" "Yeah, that's him!" the familiar blue brother backed up. The Goomba king took a look at the partner and seemed to be making a conclusion before he finally settled on a statement. "That boy won't give us much trouble! Head for him, boys!" "You got it, boss!" the two shouted in agreement.

Goombario nudged Mario with a whisper, "Hey Mario! I think maybe we ought to take out the Goomba Bros. first, don't you think? They must be pretty weak since I just finished beating them up back there." Mario nodded and while the brothers went sprinted towards Goombario, Mario dashed forward with his hammer and jumped up to meet them, swinging it at them to make contact. This sent them both backwards. He couldn't quite hear what the two were mumbling, but it was clear it wasn't good.

"Looks like that did it! Now that they're out of the way, it shouldn't be that bad to try and take out the King anymore, right? I saw you take quite a hit back there!" As Mario smiled and nodded, Goombario's grin matched.

"Hey! You two! Enough chit-chat back there!" the king's voice suddenly erupted, grabbing both of their attention with just a single syllable. "You're gonna pay for knocking them out like that, you got that?!"

"They ought to pay some respect to the turn-based order if you ask me," the boy remarked in a low voice making sure it was quiet enough that only Mario could hear it. The routine continued of the three jumping until one fell. There was a drop before the loser collapsed defeated. It created a tremendous reaction from the ground once the king dropped, his crown popping off his head and giving itself a dent in its gold.

It seemed as if the two brothers were awoken from this as Mario could plainly see the red goomba get up on his knees and turning to his brother with a look he didn't expect to see. It was.. soft. Besides the bruises, there was something about the kid's face. The sharpness seemed to have left as there was a general sense of worry. Though that wasn't just it. There was still a fire inside the male as he aided his sibling. It was complicated to say the least on the topic. A weak, crooked smile was placed on the younger brother as his limp arm was placed around his brother's shoulders. His body being lifted up to his feet as the elder rose up and brought the other inside the fortress. Soon after, the commander stirred and retreated inside, locking the door behind him once more with a gigantic slam. Before he fled, he shrieked, "Wh...wh...what!? How could I lose?"

There was a silence between the two allies after that event before it was sharply broken by the younger one. "Yeah! I knew we could do it! Cooool! Victory!" he exclaimed, throwing up an arm in the air. There was something though, Mario could plainly see as he gave a hearty laugh and was about to greet it similarly. The boy's smile transformed quickly into a frown and the once cheerful glow had been darkened as he slowly reached back, covering his arm for a short while. He shifted about, gazing elsewhere and then gave a false cough after yet another brief silence- this one increased in awkwardness. "Hey, look, Mario! See that building over there?" he pointed over to the fortress. Mario nodded in response at the rather blatant answer. One would have to be blind to not spot it from a mile away! Nevertheless, Goombario continued, "I'm pretty sure there used to be a bridge on the other side." The way he said pretty made it seem as if it had a million or two e's inside of it rather than one. He raised a fist to his chin and started stroking it questioning with a raised eyebrow, his eyes darting around it as if there might be an answer hidden away around it. Mario looked around as well but took action while his partner followed him, muttering a few inaudible observations. "I wonder what happened to it..," he ended off with as Mario rummaged around in the bushes. He remembered the trip back at the forest behind the boy's house with Goompa. It felt as if it had happened years ago instead of just a few hours. Looking around in the greenery might be able to give him some answers. It was at least a little more information to go off of than to turn around and look elsewhere.

"Good idea, Mario! Could've thought of it myself, heh," Goombario spoke with a cocky attitude. His tone changed once more back to something more serious as he could instantly tell the boy was back onto brainstorming without even taking a quick peek at him. "Hm.. I'm pretty sure whatever they did there wasn't so solid. Those two are notorious for not thinking things through and I doubt a big loaf would make too much of a difference. I'd personally investigate it myself, but Bowser's clan don't teach you much on stealth if you're a goomba. Nor do I know how to pick a lock as of yet and breaking in seems impossible after that incredible display of yours... no offense or anything, but it did look rather ridiculous." There was rambling as luck did not seem to be on Mario's side as much. Though this seemingly unimportant babbling did seem to uncover some facts that might seem to be in handy later on. If only the plumber had brought along a note pad or something. Hopefully the kid would remember this for now. "..Anywho, I'm thinking...," Obviously. "..Do you think..? No, no, it seems a bit foolish, but..." The plumber made a noise to indicate the boy to continue on. Picking up on this, Goombario gulped. "Well, do you think that there are some other people that are going to tag along? I mean, I've heard many stories about how you managed to save the day with a party! One time even with Bowser of all people! Not really sure how that happened and it doesn't make much sense with the little information I was given on it.. but that's besides the point. I know you don't seem much of a talker, but I guess you could like, ..I don't know.. Give me a thumbs up or something?"

There indeed was a raise of the thumb.

Now this startled the goomba a little, his eyes widening and his back immediately straightening at the sight of it. He soon relaxed himself and his lips curled upward ever so slightly. "Hm, I wonder what they'll be like then. You think they'll be like me?" There was a hesitance of an answer before the thumb reached out again in his line of sight, shaking slightly but mostly stood crooked and downward. The child frowned at this answer. "Well, if you're thinkin' that way, whaddaya' think they will be like then, since you seem to got sort of a clue?" he queried, leaning forward a bit anxiously as if to aid himself in listening for the words that he expected never to come. It was quiet for a while and regret loomed over the boy. Perhaps he should've asked something a bit more specific and more of a yes or no question. Though that'd run off far too long and they'd be there all day. That very idea would be extremely counter productive he knew and he'd rather avoid that. While he may have given help, right now he wasn't doing much to help remedy the metaphorical block in their adventure- if he could call it that. Before it got much worse, Mario yelped. Taking this into account, Goombario hopped up briefly and rushed over, "Mario what's wrong?!"

The plumber shook his head and gave a big grin and stood up, backing away a bit. Goombario edged a little closer and looked below into the shrubbery to find what had caused such a commotion. In response, he gave a deep gasp and instinctively threw two hands over his mouth, his feet going up and standing only on the tip of his toes. "Could that be? Mario! You found something! You actually got something!" he exclaimed with excitement, practically jumping up and down at the mere sight of the discovery. He stopped himself though, calming done and his smile faded away as an eyebrow furrowed. "Woah, wait, what are we gonna do with this thing anyway?" It was a blue dome-shaped object with a golden rim and a white exclamation point on the inside. The top felt smooth like a polished globe and it seemed to shine and sparkle in the sunlight despite being slightly covered in the soil of the earth. "Hm, it's one of those switches, right? They seem to have some sort of film over it. Kinda like a simplistic snow globe except you just smash it in- Boink!"

As if summoning something, the very next thing that happened was something he should have admittedly expected but didn't- Mario dropped a hammer down with full force onto the switch, a slight gust of wind being blown towards Goombario as he stumbled backwards a bit as if by instinct and to make even more way for the other. Being quiet for a while, the entire place was silent as slowly- very slowly did Mario lift up the wooden hammer bestowed upon him with a careful stare at the object beneath it, waiting for something if anything to happen. Perhaps it would jump back up like a spring or a Jack-in-the-Box yet that action that startled many never came with each slight degree the male lifted the weapon above it. Intently the partner followed along, staring at the switch waiting. While the time slipped away the hero's actions became quicker by the second as if a sudden wave of relief was washing over him ever so slowly, rapidly increasing with sureness. Eventually when the hammer found itself far, far away from the switch, it was rested onto the plumber's sturdy shoulder with a content whistle on his face. Goombario slightly hurried up to the other's side to the point he was only a bit behind him to get both protection but be prominent in the field of future encounters. A few moments passed and then he began to open his mouth.

"Uh...Mario!" The preteen marginally jumped up and clasped his hands on instinct over his mouth, his eyes pratically bulging out and his eyebrows were raised as far up seemed physically possible evidently proving to bring quite the snicker up to the red-cladded hero's face very briefly. Picking up on this, Goombario dropped them and lurched forward with his eyebrows furrowed and his arms straight down to his side. A low growl could be heard from his voice when Mario paid the utmost attention to him and a look of surprise flashed onto his own face, replacing the previous. Beginning to form his defensive words, the same deep and booming voice returned, causing the two's heads to whip over to the source and completely drop the current topic. "Good fight and all that! I must warn you, however... If you happen to find a strange switch somewhere, you should definitely not press it. It's dangerous. Understand?" Moving to whisper something so that Mario would hear it, the young boy grinned, "It seems as if the 'King' doesn't feel so confident, if you ask me." Walking forward soon after, he put his hands around his mouth to help project it before shouting, "Hey! I hope you didn't mean this blue, round switch in the grass because it's already been done!" There was a cockiness returning and it seemed as if he knew it himself too as he added an extra flair to the end as if to exaggerate it. The older man had leaned over with his ear pointed towards them and quickly he jumped back, his face written with complete fear even from a great distance away. "...you what? You already pressed it?!"" he shrieked before the ground's rumbling became completely noticable and part by part the tower crumbled down. Escaping to the safety of the nearby chestnut tree, the two watched and listened to the enormous thuds and cracks as it all amounted to almost nothing- launching the old king off into the distance until he became but a twinkle in the gray sky. The remains of the upper part of the tower was the strangest part of it though- it bounced off and perfectly formed a bridge by itself as if it were bewitched right across the previous gap between Toad Town's entrance and the fortress before them. Goombario soon perked up and announced loudly, "Look! The bridge! Now we can cross it and continue our journey. All right!"

With a soft chuckle, the plumber started walking along ahead with Goombario following behind closely, whistling along the way.


End file.
